(QUESTION 1) In trying to comprehend transits of planets, should their house lordships be taken into consideration? Or, should it solely be treated as per the symbolisms of the planet?

Astrology is a science, but such a sophisticated science that it seems a mystical intuitive art.

“When to focus on the intrinsic nature of a planet vs. when to focus on its acquired nature as a lord?” This is one example of something that is actually a rigid logical calculation but one so sophisticated, extensive and complex that it appears to be an intuition or instinct of the extremely experienced astrologer.

To answer directly, “Yes, everything about a planet should be taken into consideration.”

To qualify that, “Remember not everything weighs the same amount, and even more importantly, not everything multiplies with the same factors, and of course the same multiplying factors are not always present in every configuration of planets and charts.”

(QUESTION 2) The 12th House signifies alien things, foreign places. What do you think is an accurate description of foreign? Should things that are unknown to us despite being part of our homeland/familiar contexts be also included under this head?

When our goal is “accuracy” and “accurate descriptions” we often think we need pinpoint definitions. However, what we realize after years and years of experience is that narrowly and exactly defined words are not more accurate than broadly implied implications when and if we are talking about things that are broad and inclusive.

In short, pinpoint definitions befit pinpoint things. Broad, inclusive definitions befit broad, inclusive things.

“The 12th house” is an extremely broad, inclusive thing. You would be shooting yourself in the foot to be overly pinpointing in how you define its symbolism. What is more important than narrowness is clarity. Clarity about all the possible implications.

We say the 12th house is foreign. We understand that “foreign” has so many possible meanings in so many contexts. We look at each context (each chart, each transit, each situation), to understand which of those are relevant at that moment.